VEINS OF SILENCE

VEINS OF SILENCE > Part 5

Conference Room/Boardroom

The boardroom was already buzzing with murmurs when Caspian entered with Julian by his side. The directors exchanged knowing glances, their voices low but heavy with speculation.

The Chairman sat at the head of the long table, his jaw tight, his eyes sharp. Though silent, the tension radiating from him was enough to hush a room—but not today. Today, everyone had something to say.

Mr. Cruz: “We only have one week left to finalize our entry.”

Board Member 1: “At this rate, hitting our goal is going to be difficult.”

Board Member 2: “Exactly. With the time constraint, how can we possibly compete on the same level?”

Board Member 3: “But we’re already registered in the contest. Do you expect us to back out now?”

Mr. Cruz : “Backing out isn’t an option. Imagine the humiliation if Horizon Media withdrew—it would be the same as admitting defeat. The company’s reputation would be tarnished.”

The members nodded, exchanging signals with each other, each word stoking the growing tension.

Mr. Cruz leaned back in his chair, his voice loud enough for everyone to hear.

Mr. Cruz: “I trust our CEO will not let us down. With the number of presentations submitted, it’s impossible none were worth selecting. I believe in the brilliance of our employees. Isn’t that right, Mr. Villanueva?”

Caspian said nothing, his expression unreadable.

Another board member spoke up, tone doubtful.

Board Member: “I heard a troubling rumor… that our CEO couldn’t choose a single presentation.”

A small laugh escaped Mr. Cruz, forced and smug.

Mr. Reyes: “Impossible. With the quality that comes out of our Strategic Marketing Department, there’s no way. I’m confident one of ours was selected.”

The Chairman suddenly slammed his palm against the desk, the sound echoing like a gunshot. Everyone froze. His glare was locked onto Caspian.

Chairman: “This company cannot afford to lose—or worse, to be humiliated! And yet here you are, wasting time! Rumors spread that you dismissed every single presentation without proper review. Is that true, Caspian?”

The room went silent.

Julian stepped in, calm but firm.

Julian: “Gentlemen, you don’t need to worry. A presentation has been chosen by our CEO.”

Mr. Reyes gave a self-satisfied chuckle, glancing at the Vice Chairman.

Mr. Reyes: “See? I told you. It must have been one of Strategic Marketing’s entries.”

Finally, Caspian spoke. His voice was calm but carried a sharp edge that demanded attention.

Caspian: “Every presentation I reviewed had potential. But not for this innovation. They could serve the company in other ways, but they lack the strength, the precision, and the originality required to stand against global competitors. If you want Horizon to win, stop submitting half-formed ideas. One careless mistake doesn’t just reflect on a single department—it drags down the entire company.”

He paused, his eyes flicking toward the Chairman with an unspoken challenge.

Caspian: “I didn’t choose this contest, but I accepted it because it was what you all wanted. And if the future of Horizon is on the line, then I’ll give it everything. But if you continue to be reckless, don’t expect me to clean up after you.”

A heavy silence settled over the room.

Board Member: “Then whose presentation did you choose?”

Mr. Reyes smirked, certain of the answer.

Mr. Reyes : “Who else but Strategic Marketing?”

Caspian turned his gaze on him, his words cutting like glass.

Caspian: “Your department produced strong work, Mr. Cruz and Mr. Reyes. Creative, polished even. But it lacked soul. It relied too heavily on trends, safe ideas recycled into new packaging. Impressive, yes—but predictable.”

Mr. Cruz and Mr. Reyes smirk faltered, his confidence crumbling.

Without another word, Caspian placed a folder in the center of the table.

Caspian: “This one, however, is different. It’s fresh, daring. It’s not just a proposal—it’s a vision. The execution has flaws, yes, but the core idea is extraordinary. Whoever created this has the kind of spark we need if we’re to stand a chance.”

Mr. Cruz reached for the folder, his face pale as he scanned the label. His eyes widened.

Board Member beside him: “It’s from the Reception and Lobbies Department.”

Julian’s voice carried a sly undertone, as if testing the waters.

Julian: “The brilliance behind this proposal didn’t even come from a senior employee. It was crafted by interns. Even the CEO was impressed.”

The revelation hit the room like a lightning strike.

Caspian’s tone was final, leaving no room for argument.

Caspian: “Have them present this to me directly. I want to hear it from the creators themselves. And I want those interns in front of me, Ms. Alcaraz. .”

Still stunned, quickly nodded.

Ms. Alcarez: “Y-Yes, sir.”

The Chairman remained silent, his anger simmering beneath his composed exterior. He dismissed the meeting with a sharp wave of his hand.

Ms. Alcaraz wasted no time, already rushing out of the boardroom with his phone in hand, eager to deliver the unexpected good news to his department.

____

In the Reception and Lobbies Department, Ms. Alcaraz clapped her hands to get everyone’s attention.

“Everyone! Gather around!” she called, her face beaming with pride. “I have some amazing news. Our department’s presentation was chosen, and the CEO himself was impressed!”

Excited chatter instantly filled the room. Employees jumped from their chairs, clapping and cheering. “Wow! Really? That’s amazing!” “Our department did it!” “Congratulations, everyone!”

Alcaraz smiled, watching the excitement ripple through the team. “I want to especially thank Bianca, Vanessa, and Claire,” he continued. “This is the first time our department has received applause for a presentation. You three really did a fantastic job!”

Bianca, Vanessa, and Claire exchanged wide-eyed looks, their smiles growing uncontrollably. They were thrilled—completely unaware of the pressure that awaited them.

“And,” Alcaraz added, lowering her voice slightly but still beaming, “be ready, because tomorrow, you’ll be presenting this work in front of the CEO himself.”

Bianca froze, her grin faltering. “Ma'am… we still need to present? We already finished our tasks. We just helped out.”

“Yes, you still need to present. This is your presentation. You know it best, and it’s a huge opportunity. The CEO will hear your ideas directly.”

Vanessa forced a smile, though her hands trembled slightly. “We’re so happy, ma'am… maybe it’s okay even if we don’t present?”

“Don’t worry,” Alcaraz reassured them. “It’s normal to be nervous. Just do your best. I’ll be there to guide you. Congratulations again.”

The room buzzed with excitement as the rest of the department continued clapping and cheering. Everyone was thrilled, talking over each other about how proud they were. It was as if the entire department was glowing with energy.

Meanwhile, Bianca, Vanessa, and Claire sank into their chairs, suddenly realizing the full weight of what they had gotten themselves into.

Claire whispered, “Oh my God… what do we do now? Are we going to admit it?”

Vanessa: “Are you out of your mind?”

Bianca’s grin vanished as panic started to set in. “We… we have no choice. We can’t back out, or Ms. Alcaraz will notice.”

Vanessa leaned in, whispering, “Wait… wasn’t it your idea to take Celeste’s presentation?”

Bianca’s eyes darted between them. “Exactly. If we hadn’t done it, we wouldn’t be in this position to win. Without me, none of our names would be recognized. Without me… you’d be nothing.”

Vanessa opened her mouth, clearly wanting to argue, but Claire quickly cut in. “Okay, guys, chill. We’re in this together. We have to make this work. We can’t let the department—or ourselves—look bad. We have to cooperate.”

The three of them sat in tense silence, the weight of the upcoming presentation settling in. Excitement had turned into pressure, and they realized that tomorrow wouldn’t just be about applause—it would be about survival.

Meanwhile, the rest of the department continued celebrating, unaware of the storm brewing for the trio.

Ivy and Celeste were walking back to their desks, overhearing the buzz from the department.

Ivy whispered, shaking her head, “I still can’t believe this… how did they even manage that?”

Celeste shrugged, trying to keep her voice calm. “I know, right? But… honestly, the presentation must’ve been really impressive. That’s probably why Mr. Santos is so happy.”

Ivy frowned. “I don’t know… I’m not convinced. There’s no way they did it on their own. Maybe they had help from professionals… or connections higher up. Impossible otherwise.”

Celeste bit her lip, pondering. “Well… whatever it is, it worked. Our department got recognized, and that counts for something, right?”

Ivy let out a small sigh, still skeptical. “I guess… but I just don’t trust them. Something feels off.”

The two of them walked quietly toward their desks, watching as their colleagues continued celebrating, unaware of the tension bubbling beneath the surface of the trio responsible for the stolen presentation.

_______

The next morning, the Crown Clique walked briskly toward their assigned office.

Claire whispered nervously, “Are we really going to do this?”

Vanessa wiped a tear from her cheek. “I studied the presentation, I tried my best… but honestly, I don’t think I can handle it,” she admitted, her voice trembling.

Claire and Vanessa both noticed how dark Bianca’s eyebags had become.

Claire frowned. “Bianca… what’s going on with you? You don’t even look ready to present. You look… drained.”

Bianca snapped, glaring. “Shut up! This isn’t a joke. I’m not letting us embarrass ourselves—especially not to that Celeste!”

Vanessa hesitated. “So… what do we do? I don’t think we can actually pull this off.”

Bianca smirked slightly, a glint of confidence in her eyes. “Let’s see.”

As they walked, they bumped into Ms. Alcaraz. The three of them quickly tried to hide their faces, but she noticed immediately.

“Girls,” Ms. Alcaraz said with a cheerful, excited tone, “are you ready?”

The trio forced smiles, trying to appear calm.

“Okay, just be ready, calm yourselves. I’ll call you in a minute to head to the conference room.”

The girls exchanged uneasy glances, each feeling the pressure building in the pit of their stomachs.

Just then, Ivy appeared with her clique, smirking as if she had been waiting for this moment.

“Well, well, well,” Ivy said with a playful smile. “Here comes the amazing interns. I heard you’re all shaking in your heels about today’s presentation.”

Bianca crossed her arms, chin tilted arrogantly. “And who told you that? Honestly, what I see around here is just envy and failure.”

Her words made her clique burst into laughter, mocking and echoing in the hallway.

Ivy leaned closer, her tone dripping with sarcasm. “Well, good luck then. You’ll need it. Everyone knows the CEO despises reckless employees—especially the kind who can’t even answer his questions properly.”

The smile on Bianca’s face faltered for just a second. Vanessa swallowed hard, and Claire gripped her folder tighter, her knuckles turning pale.

The weight of Ivy’s words lingered, pressing down on them heavier than ever.

To be Continued...